Help Me, I'm Lost
by RiverLee
Summary: I have begun the story with the help of The Twisted Lotus. I will still accept cats for the clans. please see form under ForestClan. Chapter eight is finally up after about a year of waiting, sorry... plz R&R.
1. Clans

**These are the Clans but are not final. You peoples may pm me and send me warriors/apprentices/queens for any of the Clans. The Clans will change as more people review and send me warriors. The Clans are SkullClan, IceClan, ForestClan and SunClan. Under ForestClan will be a form that may be used to create your cat. Thank you for your support RiverLee**

**SkullClan**

Leader: Brackenstar- brown tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Jayear- blue-gray tom with a torn ear

Medicine Cat: Echostep- silver she-cat with green eyes (an exact copy of her sister Cherrysong) **Apprentice- Lotuspaw**

Warriors: Shadowclaw- black tom with gray eyes and a white foot

Riverfoot- gray she-cat with blue eyes **Apprentice-Gorsepaw**

Stonenose- dark gray tom with black paws

Whiteheart- white she-cat with a light gray chest

Eaglefire- brown tom with dark brown spots **Apprentice-Windpaw**

Moonbrook- silver she-cat with light blue eyes

Rapidfrost- brown tom with amber eyes **Apprentice- Scorchpaw**

Rockstream- black tom whose eyes are usually black but change color with his

Mood **Apprentice- Darkpaw**

Rosefern- ginger she-cat with green eyes **Apprentice- Skypaw**

Soulwhisper- wise, clever she-cat with gray eyes and unusually long black fur with white around her eyes and ears; long tail and legs

Tanglenose- tan tom with amber eyes. He is gruff, gets angry easily. He got his name from a fight as an apprentice. He has a long scar on his nose.  
Apprentices: Scorchpaw- black tom with warm amber eyes and a star-shaped scar on his muzzle

Gorsepaw- sand colored tom with coal black eyes

Windpaw- wiry she-cat with gray eyes

Skypaw- white and silver she-cat with sky blue eyes

Lotuspaw- kind and shy she-cat, goldenpelt with coal black eyes; training to be a medicine cat can see things that may happen ( a bit like Alice Cullen)

Darkpaw- black tom with dark amber eyes, very muscular and handsome

Queens: Frostfeather- white she-cat with blue tinted fur and ice colored eyes; Nettlekit, Harekit and Buzzardkit

Cherrysong- silver she-cat with green eyes; Snowkit and Crystalkit

Icemask- sand colored she-cat with a white face and paws

Moonflower- silver tabby with silver-gray eyes; Firekit and Fawnkit

**IceClan**

Leader: Flamestar- pure black tom with a fiery red chest and deep blue eyes

Deputy: Skullspot- black she-cat with one gray spot that looks like a skull **Appretice- Foxpaw**

Medicine cat: Cloverfall- tabby she-cat with forest green eyes (oldest medicine cat)** Apprentice- Echopaw**

Warriors: Shadestone- gray tom with dark eyes

Oaktalon- brown tom with long claws **Apprentice- Swiftpaw**

Wildlflower- nice cat, but she can get a bit impatient. She can be sarcastic sometimes, but she is a true friend, and if you become your friend then she will stay your friend. She has a soft spot for kits. Lime green eyes with a pretty orange tabby with silvery gray stripes. They seem to shimmer on her fur.

Riverstorm- dark blue-gray she-cat

Reedfoot- Gentle and kind she-cat with light blue eyes and black fur with a white stomach, chest, and paws **Apprentice- Starpaw**

Snowstream- white she-cat with blue eyes

Leereyes- black tom with a thick scar across his neck and chest with emerald green eyes; clever and overly protective of his kin

Apprentices: Echopaw- silver she-cat with blue eyes

Swiftpaw- black tom with gray spots

Starpaw- Very sweet and cheerful yet everyone thinks she's annoying so

inside herself she is very very sad and -greenish eyes with pure

white whith 2 silver streaks going down her back thats another reason why

she is a bit of an outcast

Foxpaw- very dark gray tom with green eyes, he is an outcast of sorts

Queens: Silverclaw- silver and black she cat; mate is Leereyes (kits to-be: Wolfkit,

Otterkit and Firekit)

Flickerstorm- black she-cat with gray stripes; Cherrykit and Ghostkit

Fernleaf- tan tabby she-cat with green eyes. She is sweet and kind, motherly. Her kits are Frozenkit (white shekit with blue eyes) and Flamingkit (ginger tomkit with green eyes)

Elders: Raincloud- White with mottled light grey tabby blotches (stripes broken apart like

a dotted line), grey tail with darker tabby bands, and white tail tip his eyes are a blue-gray. He is Wise but forgetful, enjoys telling stories, can have nasty outbursts around arrogant apprentices, otherwise friendly (to all Clans unless provoked). Will not judge until he gets to know you. Wistful - often dreams of his departed mate Snowfall (greencough) and kit Weaslepaw (battle)

**SunClan**

Leader: Jaystar- black and white tom with calculative blue eyes **Apprentice- Coldpaw**

Deputy: Tinynose- small tabby she-cat **Apprentice- Hopepaw**

Medicine cat: Goldentooth- gold tom with large black paws

Warriors: Buzzardfoot- brown tom with dark stripes

Fallenstep- silver and white she-cat **Apprentice- Rainpaw**

Tigerheart- big orange tom with white paws **Apprentice-Birchpaw**

Larchfrost- gray she-cat with green eyes

Sagecloud- white and gray she-cat with green eyes

Iceclaw- black she-cat with ivory white claws

Windfang- orange tom with ambereyes **Apprentice- Duskpaw**

Flowercloud- beautiful white she-cat with unusual violet eyes

Bloodwish: Dangerous big black tom with one green eye and one red eye  
(Bloodwish had a terrible and distorted past. His father, now exiled, slashed  
his right eye, and the blood washed over it, making him see only red in that  
eye. This made him unstable and frantic. But now, he's really sweet and  
gentle, but super shy)

Screechhawk- Lean brown tabby with a screeching meow

Sightpath- light gray-silver she-cat with flecks of white, icy blue eyes; a sightless warrior who loves rivers

Tornfeather- dark gray tabby tom, very tall and slender with pale green eyes. He is quiet and keeps to himself, a little harsh towards cats who try to befriend him as he prefers to be alone

Apprentices: Rainpaw- gray she-cat with blue-gray paws

Birchpaw- white tom with black and gray stripes

Duskpaw- gray she-cat with amber eyes

Coldpaw- Silver fur dappled with small white spots. The under fur is a thicker type then the top fur, letting her stay warm in the winter and roast in the summer. Deep blue eyes that are to big for her face, loves kits but when a warrior will not have any. Loves mischief and being mean (maybe she gets it from her mentor)

Hopepaw- White with small silver specks all over her pelt. Her fur is allover very thin, making it very easy for her to get cold. Loves to visit queens in the nursery and tries hard to avoid the kits, her eyes are powder blue.

Queens: Cloverdapple- silver spotted she-cat. Mother of Sparrowkit (tabby tom with blue eyes) and Spottedkit ( Dappled dark brown she-cat with green eyes)

Elders: Oneclaw: black tom, back paw was amputated after a badger attack shortly  
after his elder ceremony. Lost it saving Cloverdapple. He's a hero in Sunclan.  
Yellowleaf- rusty yellow she cat, oldest cat in forest, slowly losing her  
mind

**Forestclan**  
Leader: Birchstar- Gorgeous brown tabby with sparkling green eyes  
Deputy: Shiningleaf- Silvery tabby she cat with bright amber eyes **Apprentice- Swiftpaw**  
Medicine cat: Sunstream-Light ginger she cat with blue eyes  
Warriors: Shadowfur- Dusky gray tom with amber eyes **Apprentice- Pinepaw**  
Fawnpelt-light brown tabby she cat with green eyes **Apprentice: Rainpaw**  
Dovewing-pure white she cat with unusual brown eyes **Apprentice: Foxpaw**  
Treeclaw- sturdy brown tom with amber eyes  
Shiningfur- dazzling silver she cat with twinkling blue eyes  
Stripefang- white striped back tom with amber eyes **Apprentice: Briarpaw**  
Spottedtail- lithe ginger tom with black and brown spots **Apprentice:  
Gentlepaw**

Quailflight- light gray tabby with yellow eyes; a very loyal she-cat that is independent  
Apprentices: Rainpaw- stunning dappled gray she cat with green eyes  
Foxpaw- lithe red tom with amber eyes  
Briarpaw- massive tabby tom with blue eyes  
Gentlepaw- beautiful delicate white she cat with a pink tint, pale green eyes

Pinepaw- dark grey tabby she-cat with green eyes, very outgoing and stubborn

Swiftpaw- reddish brown tom with white paws and deep blue eyes. He's kind of hyper. He used to be a kittypet, and not many Clanmates like him because of that, but he's oblivious to it all.  
Queens: Whitefoot- black she cat with white paws, green eyes, Spottedtail's  
mate. She only has one remaining kit because of a flood. Floodkit ( black tom with white stomach, chest and paws with dark blue eyes)  
Silkfeather- downy silver she cat with blue eyes, Shadowfur's mate (mother  
of Stonekit: gray tom, Leafkit: brown she cat)  
Elders: Greenfur-old brown tabby tom with amber eyes  
Blackear- black she cat with blue eyes

**Cats outside Clans**

Alpha/Gamma-Seal (brownish, but shines reddish in the sunlight) with a red left eye and a purplish right eye, has a double personality, Alpha is bold and leader-like while Gamma is quiet and gentle.

Twister- Mottled silver and black with a few lighter and darker streaks with yellow eyes. He is smart/tactful, and enjoys messing with clans. Tries to pick on someone weaker though is not much of a fighter, and will usually make a break for it if the situation turns ugly - very fast runner (WindClan speed) If caught will try to talk way our of situation. Won't hurt kits, though. More likely to lead them back near camp then attack or abandon, but once reaches apprentice he isn't so nice. He is a rogue  
Dawn- Gold, brown, and ginger tortoiseshell, darkening along back and feet - except for one white paw and creamy muzzle an has leafy green eyes. She is kind and helpful, quite. Would rather use words than claws, but is a very experience fighter. Won't steal prey from Clans but occasionally trespasses. Known to have a sharp tongue when she is mad and she enjoys swimming. She is a Loner - once a kittypet until house burned down when she was a kit. Since then she has been on her own living near the edge of the Clans near a stream. Mother of Tawny (small, adventurous, light brown tabby kit with amber eyes, white muzzle, and white tail - 4 moons old)  
Darkpaw- dark grey she-cat with lighter flecks and amber eyes. Ambitious, proud, aggressive. She was exiled from SunClan because of her ambition.

Demonwing- Very large black tom with dark green eyes. He has multiple scars on his sides and back and a crooked jaw. He is an exiled Clan cat that holds power over anyone that he comes in contact with. Seeks revenge on Clan cats.

**Form**

Name:

Personality:

Gender:

Eye color:

Fur color/pattern:

Position:

If queen, kits:

Clan:


	2. prolouge

**The Twisted Lotus is writing chapter one for Help Me, I'm Lost. But until that is posted here is the prologue.**

Prologue

"Lotuspaw, what do you see?" a silver she-cat whispered to the small golden pelted she-cat that was gazing at something that only she could see. "Lotuspaw, are we in danger?" The older she-cat looked around the clearing the two cats were in, wondering what danger they may or may not be in.

"No Cherrysong, we are not in danger," the apprentice mewed in a dazed voice, "SoulClan is telling- no, showing me something. They say that a piece of sky will fall with blood surrounding it and that the Clans are doomed with out the help of this piece of sky. I see a she-cat that lives with tall-ones coming into the woods at moon high and stopping at a small stream to hunt. Cats of SkullClan will meet her there."

The dazed look left the small cats eyes and she set off walking again. Cherrysong stood frozen in place, her eyes following the apprentice warily.

"Come on Cherrysong," the apprentice meowed in a sing-song voice, still prancing through the woods, "we're going to be late for the medicine cat meeting."

Cherrysong shook herself and started walking again, but a sense of danger and foreboding followed the medicine cat.

**I hope you enjoyed that, it took a while to think about what should happen. Please R&R.**


	3. Chap 1

A/N Hello peeples, this is the Twisted Lotus! WOO!!! First, to start off the chapter, I want to thank RiverLee for:

Making me co author

Including Rosefern, Flamestar, Windpaw, and Scorchpaw in the story

Putting Bloodwish in the story. I loved making him!

Including Jaystar's description

Including all of Forestclan

I won't let you down! Anywho, she didn't give me much to work with (except cats) so this shall be the building blocks of our story! Enjoy, hate, review.

Chapter 1

Shasta hated it. The fence. The evil fence that kept her from her greatest aspiring. The forest. It called to her like a lullaby. She lunged, trying to climb up the fence, but again failed. Her claws were scratched and bleeding. Again she hissed at the fence. She wanted OUT.

Suddenly, a faint rustle from the other side of the fence made her jump and scamper back to her cathouse. The wild cats were of course, scary rumors, but she didn't want to take any chances. Even for a young cat she was small.

"You are weak," she hissed to herself. "The fence is nothing. The fence is tiny. The fence is a poodle- wait, poodles are scary- a mouse."

She summoned up her courage, and sprinted toward the fence, and leaped. She sailed over it barely. The top of it scraped her belly, leaving a shallow but bloody wound. She gasped in horror as she saw it spill on the ground. Shasta panicked.

"I have to wash it." She trembled to herself, and stumbled into the woods.

No way, she was not going to show her housefolk it. That would mean the vet, and stitches. The full moon lighted the way. Soon she came to a shallow stream and let the cool water soothe her stinging belly. She sighed. _Maybe coming into the woods wasn't such a good idea_, she thought.

A twig cracked in the distance and she jumped up. There was no way of escape except up. She quickly latched onto a tree and shimmied herself onto a low branch.

Five cats came into view, two big ones and three a little bigger than she was. The ginger adult swatted one of the smaller ones, and hissed. "Scorchpaw you twit! Stumbling around in the river will scare all the fish away!"

Scorchpaw turned towards Shasta, and all she could do was keep from screaming. He was a black tom, with amber eye. On the right side of his face was a pink scar that wrapped around it, from eye to mouth, from nose to ear. He snorted. "Why do we have to fish? Skullclan doesn't fish!"

A brown tom stepped forward. "We do now. Prey has been scarce lately." He turned to the ginger she cat. "Rosefern, I know you have good intentions, but I can take care of my own apprentice."

The silver cat came into view. "Give him a break Rosefern, he was just curious."

Scorchpaw hissed at her. "I don't need any help. Stay out of my fights, Windpaw."

She merely shook him off. "Yes you do," she retorted, "Now go crouch by the river."

A brown spotted tom stepped in front of Windpaw. "Thank you for helping also, but Rapidfrost looks like he's ready to bite your ears off."

"Oh." She mumbled, and turned towards Scorchpaw's mentor. "Sorry."

"She cats." He muttered.

The last small cat, a golden she cat, stiffened. "We're being watched."

They all immediately sank into the shadows, and Shasta couldn't see them anymore. _They probably went home, _she thought, and jumped from the tree, opening her wound. She cried in dismay, and crouched in the riverbed. Out of nowhere, the three apprentices tackled her to the ground. She squealed.

"Hey, this isn't a Sunclan warrior, she's just a kittypet." Windpaw meowed excitedly.

Scorchpaw drew back, and started grooming. "A fat lazy kittypet isn't worth the time or effort."

Anger surged in Shasta. "Yes I am! I could've fought the whole lot of you if I wasn't wounded." She spit.

"Really?" Rosefern meowed, amused.

The golden apprentice loomed in front of Shasta. "Are you the one letting blood in the river?"

Shasta shuffled her paws, embarrassed. "Yeah, I'm sorry if I ruined your river."

Windpaw laughed. "That wouldn't ruin it silly! It just washes it away." She turned to her mentor, Eaglefire. "Can she come home with us?"

He snorted. "Absolutely_"

"Yes." The gold cat interrupted.

Rosefern turned to her. "Lotuspaw, are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure! Now let's go!"

Windpaw purred happily. "Yay! Another girl in the apprentice den!"

Scorchpaw sneered. "Yeah, maybe you'll actually make a friend, but that would be hoping for too much."

Shasta was in a daze. "What? Go where? I want to go home!"

Lotuspaw looked at her with interest. "We won't hurt you; we just want something from you."

That didn't comfort her. Rosefern brushed beside her, showing the way. "It will be okay."

Shasta trembled, but followed them. They hiked for a while until a dense tunnel made of bracken appeared. Windpaw urged her on, and she tentatively padded through it. When she exited the tunnel, she gasped in wonder.

Jagged rocks that looked as sharp as flint surrounded the Skullclan camp. Boulders scattered the area, some balancing atop another. The largest boulder had a ledge on it, and under was a shallow cave. To its right was a large den with a flat rock supporting as a roof. Scents of herbs drifted from there. Across from there was a clump of bracken with tiny mewls coming from it. Next to that was a skinny tree with roots that served as walls. It was covered with bracken. On the other side of the tree a similar den was made. And at the very end of the clearing, between some rocks, was a moss-covered den with some old cats sleeping in it.

A massive brown tom appeared from the biggest rock. "What is this?" He asked, eyeing me.

Windpaw piped up, here gray eyes sparkling. "This is…um…well, what is your name?" She asked Shasta.

Shasta was so scared of the tom in front of her, she couldn't think straight. Her silver and white fur was ruffled. "S…s…sc" She meant to say, "I'm scared", but it came out as incoherent babble.

"Sky! That's a pretty name." Windpaw meowed, clearly misinterpreting the feeble words.

Scorchpaw spoke in a bored voice. "She's just a useless kittypet we found in the river. Lotuspaw had us drag her here for SoulClan knows what."

Rapidfrost batted his ear. Rosefern came to Shasta's defense. "She was hurt and bleeding. I'm sure Lotuspaw wants to heal her, but since she's only been training for a moon, she didn't know which herbs to use."

Lotuspaw bristled. "That's not the reason at all! Listen Brackenstar, remember that very important…um…thing I told you about a couple sunrises ago?"

Bracken star's amber eyes widened. "Do you think so?"

Lotuspaw nodded. "Yes, I do know. Why does everyone keep doubting me?!"

"Then she must stay." A voice from behind Brackenstar meowed. A silver cat with green eyes stepped into the circle of cats. "Greetings Sky, we have been expecting you."

"What?" Shasta asked, scared and confused.

"Echostep, it's _her._ She has to stay."

Echostep understood. "All right. Brackenstar, summon the clan. We need to do an apprentice ceremony."

He nodded and leapt onto the ledge. "Let all cats old enough to catch their prey gather here for a clan meeting!"

Cats began to pour out of their dens. Shasta tried to look brave, but her legs wouldn't stop trembling. Rosefern nudged her next to Brackenstar, and left to join the crowd. "Cats of Skullclan," Brackenstar started, "We have met a cat who is willing and worthy to train as an apprentice."

Almost immediately yowls of protest erupted out of the clan. "Scorchpaw says she's a kittypet!" A black tom yowled.

"SILENCE!" Brackenstar roared, and everyone was silent. Shasta felt as if she were about to faint. He turned to her. "Sky, from now until you receive your warrior name, your name will be Skypaw." He turned to the crowd. "Since I've only known this cat for a short time, I don't know which cat would be best to mentor her. Will anybody willingly do it?"

Silence met his words. Skypaw was humiliated no one wanted her. That she was that much of an outsider. When she nearly began to despair, a brave voice meowed, "I'll do it."

Everyone turned to see Rosefern stand up. Brackenstar sighed. "Rosefern, you know you can't—"

A new voice interrupted him. "Her injury has long healed, Brackenstar. She is ready. In fact, she was ready to mentor my daughter, but you decided against that, SoulClan knows why. Let her do it."

A black she cat with white around her face and ears spoke. Her gray eyes glittered with knowledge. _She must be Windpaw's mother! _Skypaw realized. No one else had gray eyes, except a cranky looking tom.

She spoke again. "My mate and your daughter's death is terrible, but it's not Rosefern's fault because she survived. That rockslide was an accident. I've learned to forgive; now it's your turn."

It was silent for a few moments longer, then Brackenstar cracked. "All right, all right. Soulwhisper, you speak with as much wisdom as SoulClan, so I know you won't do me wrong. Rosefern will mentor Skypaw."

Rosefern padded up and touched noses with Skypaw.

"Skypaw! Skypaw!" A handful of cats chanted, including Echostep, Lotuspaw, and Windpaw.

Soulwhisper said nothing, but gave Skypaw an encouraging smile. "C'mon, I'll show you to your new bed!" Windpaw meowed excitedly. "You can sleep next to me."

She dragged Skypaw to one of the tree dens. "Stay right here." She ordered, and bounded away.

A golden tom with black eyes walked past Skypaw. "Keep your kittypet odor on that side of the den with miss freak."

Scorchpaw knocked past her also. "Great, not only another girl in the den, but one that still has kitten fat."

Something brushed past Skypaw and knocked into both toms. "You fox-hearted pieces of-"

Windpaw was wrestling both toms, and was surprisingly winning. She shoved them into the back wall. "Don't ever make fun of Skypaw again, or I'll line the den with your entrails."

This was too much for Skypaw, who thought Windpaw was being literal. She collapsed on the ground and started trembling violently. Windpaw was at her side in an instant, leading her to a moss bed. "I made this while I was gone, and Lotuspaw told me to give you this to help you sleep."

Something entered Skypaw's throat and she instantly blacked out.

(In a camp across the border)

Bloodwish sighed. Another attack on Skullclan was going to be put into action soon, and of course, he was leading it. He hated fighting, but it was his second nature. Ever since that night his father…No. He couldn't think about it. That's what sends him over the edge. That's how his mom died.

He sighed again. The moon cast a red hue over the camp. It always did in his eye, the one that can only see red… There he goes again, thinking about it. He can never lose control. Otherwise, someone _will_ end up dead. He lay down and watched the moon set. The only thing left to do was wait…

(Somewhere near Skypaw's kittypet house)

Dimitri sighed impatiently. Where was Shasta? She was supposed to be here already! He was sitting in her backyard, kneading the ground with his claws. Her housefolk are in a panic. The kits are wailing their heads off and the parents went away in their monster thing with a light stick.

Knowing Shasta, she was probably sleeping somewhere, but he couldn't find her. He had a bad thought. What if she made it over the fence? She never did, but it wouldn't help checking. He bounded over there, his black pelt blending in with the dark. His stomach twisted when he scented blood. He easily leapt over the fence and nearly did a double take. Shasta's blood was everywhere. It made a trail deeper into the forest. Fury welled inside of Dimitri.

The wild cats. They must've kidnapped her! Shasta didn't believe in them, so she must've been ambushed. She needed to be rescued before they ate her! With his head full of horrified thoughts, Dimitri dove headfirst into the woods in search of his friend in peril.

(In Skullclan medicine den)

Lotuspaw woke screaming. She hated visions. Echostep was at her side in an instant, forcing thyme down Lotus paw's throat. "What did you see?" She asked urgently.

"Something's coming." She gasped.

"Some black creature with blood on his mind."

A/N How was that? Good? Bad or Great, review okay? Did that rhyme? I don't know. If you didn't get it already, the black creature is Dimitri. Anywho, hoped you enjoyed the first chapter of Help Me I'm Lost, and we'll post up another chapter soon! Twistey out.


	4. Chap 2

**A/N Chapter two is being written by me (RiverLee) and Twistey, you did wonderfully on chapter one. W/o further delay here is chapter two.**

_What should I do? I can't leave Shasta to defend herself against the wild cats, but it's too dark to see where I'm placing my paws. I'll have to look for her in the morning._ The black tom sighed. His best friend had been captured after she ran away from her housefolk and by wild cats nonetheless. He looked around, recognizing nothing and smelling nothing but his scent and the fear scent he'd been following. _Wonderful,_ the tom thought, sighing again,_ now I'm lost. I guess I'll have to wait to go home. If those wildcats did anything to my friend, I'll… I'll… What _will_ I do?_

The tom found a pile of ferns and tall grass to lie down in, still thinking of what he'd do to wild cats if Shasta'd been hurt.

**In the SunClan camp:**

"Bloodwish, you have to go now," a rough voice growled into a black tom's ear. A red eye opened to see who was bothering him. Buzzardfoot was standing over him growling.

"Is it really time to raid SkullClan?" Bloodwish rasped. The tom looked through the tangled branches of the warriors den to see the moon reaching its red light towards the center of the sky. The light of the moon was always red when Bloodwish looked at it through his damaged eye.

"No mouse-brain. It's time for you to watch over the camp," Buzzardfoot wandered over to his own nest and grumbled something about "being as senseless as a newborn kit."

Bloodwish sighed and stretched, being careful not to disturb Sagecloud. He padded out of the den and into the red-hued camp. Bloodwish didn't notice padding out of the entrance tunnel and taking up a position in his favorite tree. The tom sighed and stared up at the sky, letting his thoughts wander.

The stars seemed to form a picture, one of a she-cat he would meet soon. The cat in the stars stared at him and turned into an image of his mother. Bloodwish gasped and suddenly there was nothing supporting his body. He fell to the ground and lay there stunned and injured. Blackness clouded his vision and soon he was out cold.

xXx-xXx

"Morning," Windpaw mewed to the half awake Skypaw, "are you ready for your first training session?"

"No," the she-cat managed to grumble, "I want to go back to sleep."

"Oh, you'll get used to everything soon. I already took the liberty to ask Eaglefire and Rosefern if we could train together today, and they said yes. So I expect that we'll show you the territory first, and then we can go to the training hollow and practice hunting or fighting." Windpaw paused, took a breath and then started babbling again. "I'll bet your hungry so we should go get something off the fresh-kill pile. Have you ever tasted mouse?"

Skypaw tuned out Windpaw's senseless murmuring and turned to examine the SkullClan camp in the morning sun. Skypaw hardly remembered what happened last night, except for pain in her stomach and being ambushed by these strange cats. Suddenly she exclaimed, "Dimitri! Windpaw Dimitri will have followed me into the forest because I didn't come home last night. Windpaw we _have_ to look for him, he might be hurt or… or," It was hard to imagine the strong cat hurt, but just thinking about it made Skypaw shudder. "Please Windpaw; you have to help me find my friend."

Skypaw looked at her new friend pleadingly.

"Well… Rosefern and Eaglefire won't like it if we run off alone. Not with the way SunClan have been lately. Maybe we can look for him while we're out in the forest, okay? For now though, let's eat." Windpaw picked up a mouse off of a pile of creatures that a cat would be able to eat, and then laid down to eat.

Skypaw padded to the pile and was about tot take a mouse when a black tom with black eyes padded over to the pile. From his size Skypaw figured that he was a warrior and so took a step back and waited for the older cat to take his prey.

The tom looked at Skypaw and then decided to speak, "You're the kitty-pet aren't you?" Skypaw nodded, intimidated by the tom's size and remembered Dimitri looking exactly like the tom once, when he was mad about something.

"I'm Rockstream," the tom mewed, he seemed friendly, but Skypaw was unsure of what he wanted. "I would have volunteered to train you if I knew what you looked like. Hmm, you seem to look like a fit cat, maybe you'll make it in SkullClan."

With that the tom picked up a sparrow and trotted over to the warriors' den where he settled down and started eating, appraising the way Skypaw moved and looked. Skypaw picked up a mouse from the pile then sat down by Windpaw to eat.

"Wow," Windpaw mewed between bites of her breakfast, "Rockstream has _never_ been that friendly to an apprentice. It probably would've made him even nicer if you weren't a kitty-pet before all this." Windpaw waved her tail as if to include the clearing into her statement.

"Maybe he'll change his mind," Skypaw mewed in embarrassment. "Can you tell me why Brackenstar doesn't like my mentor?"

"Of course I can, but we should wait until we get back, because I think our mentors are ready to leave," as Windpaw spoke Rosefern and a dark brown tom with lighter brown spots exited the warriors den and padded silently over to where the apprentices were.

"Are you ready to explore Skullclan territory?" Rosefern asked Skypaw in a gentle voice.

Forgetting how to speak in her nervousness, Skypaw settled for nodding.

"Good. Windpaw you'll come with us and hunt on the way, got it?" the dark brown tom growled to his apprentice.

Windpaw ducked her head and mewed, "Okay Eaglefire. Can we go now?"

The older cats looked at each other and then turned toward the entrance tunnel without telling the apprentices anything else.

Skypaw looked at Windpaw and hissed under her breath, "How are you going to help me find Dimitri if you're going to be hunting?"

Windpaw laughed quietly and then mewed, "Clan cats can smell more than one thing at a time. Don't worry Skypaw, we'll find your friend." Windpaw giggled some more before padding towards the entrance to the camp where Rosefern and Eaglefire had already disappeared.

Skypaw sighed and padded after her friend. Bracken tugged at Skypaw's pelt and she stumbled when her paw caught a root sticking up from the ground. Skypaw hissed quietly and kept walking. Emerging from the tunnel she saw the forest for the first time in the day; sunshine dappled the forest floor and she could hear a small movement in the bushes next to her. She automatically dropped into a crouch and lightly padded toward the noise. She wiggled her haunches then lept into the bushes pinning a small mouse to the forest floor. She dispatched the creature and padded out of the bushes. "What do I do with this?" She mumbled through the mouse when she returned to her mentor.

The three cats were staring at her and Skypaw twitched nervously.

"Have you ever hunted before?" Rosefern asked quietly, awe and joy lighting her eyes.

"Yes, but that was the first time I caught something. Did I do okay?" Skypaw mewed dropping the mouse by a tree.

"You did great! I can't believe you caught something before you learned!" Windpaw was meowing in a stream of words.

"Cover that mouse with dirt, kitty-pet. Windpaw maybe you could start hunting and stop babbling," Eaglefire growled

Skypaw's tail drooped when 'kitty-pet' was mentioned. Why couldn't these cats just leave her alone? She scraped dirt over her mouse and asked, "Rosefern, where are we going?"

"We're going to the SunClan border, to FourStones and then return home by going near the ForestClan border and crooked stream, which is where we found you last night," Rosefern mewed gently.

With that the cats headed of into the forest. Skypaw looked at everything, learning as much as she could of the territory. Windpaw was hunting a bird that was pecking at the ground close to the stream Skypaw stopped at the night before when a familiar scent hit her nostrils. Windpaw's tail twitched in irritation as the bird flew onto a branch.

"Dimitri," Skypaw mewed. "Windpaw, keep your eyes open for a black cat… it might be Dimitri."

Windpaw flicked her tail and then disappeared into some bushes. A moment later a screech was heard close to where Windpaw disappeared. Rosefern and Eaglefire were farther ahead of the apprentices and so had not heard the sound. Skypaw ran through the bushes and saw a muscular black tom pinning Windpaw down.

"Dimitri!" Skypaw hollered.

A young black tom looked up from where he had Windpaw pinned. "Shasta?" he purred questioningly. Skypaw nodded and flicked her ears. The tom got off of Windpaw and mewed what sounded like an apology before padding over to Skypaw and growled playfully, "I was worried about you. Your house-folk will be so happy to see you when we get back…" his voice trailed when he saw the expression in his friend's eyes. Sighing he continued, "You're not going back, are you."

It was more of a statement than it was a question but Skypaw answered like it was a question, "No, Dimitri. How could I? These cats saved my life, and gave me a new place to live. I'm enjoying this life outside the fence. I _can't_ go back."

"Oh, I see. Well, before you go I need to tell you something. My father _is_ a wild cat. My mother met him after she escaped from her yard. She decided that she would bear his kits but that she would not join him in this life," he mewed, looking at the trees. "I'll miss you quite a bit, Shasta." He smiled her favorite crooked smile, and whispered, "Goodbye," before padding off into the trees.

After he was gone, Windpaw broke the silence by growling, "No wonder why he was so strong, his father was a warrior."

"Let's go you two," Rosefern called from farther away, "Let's get back to camp."

"Coming," Skypaw and Windpaw yowled together.

The two friends raced through the bushes towards the camp. They were nearly there when they heard another set of paws pounding in the forest floor. The she-cats whirled around to see Dimitri running through the bushes after them, grinning hugely.

"I thought that I might join my father," he called to them.

A black tom with black eyes padded out of the bushes behind Dimitri and growled, "I know, it's surprising. Get it out of your system now."

"Um… wow," was all Windpaw had to say.

**A/N anyone who guesses who Dimitri's father is gets a cookie.**


	5. Chap 3

**A/N Sorry it's takin' so long to update but I have to go to school and all that happy stuff. So I'll hopefully update more often. By the way, Twistey helped write this one a bit… I'll let you people decide who wrote what part… please enjoy this chapter.**

"Rockstream is your father?!?!" Skypaw mewed, astonished. _Maybe he heard what I said to Windpaw and decided to look for Dimitri._

Confirming what Skypaw thought, Rockstream growled, "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation this morning, you had said that your old friend might have followed you into the forest and I decided that even if the cat wasn't my son, that I should go help it. Now is not the time for kitty-pets to be exploring the forest."

"Skypaw, did you get that… Oh," Rosefern padded out of the tunnel and saw Dimitri and Rockstream standing side by side, their eyes a dull brown. What Rosefern also saw was that these two cats looked exactly alike and at first she thought the smaller of the two (although there really wasn't much difference in size) was just a shadow or possibly a spirit. Shaking her head she sighed, "Rockstream you better have a good reason for this, or else Brackenstar will have your head."

Rockstream snorted and walked into the darkness of the tunnel, followed by Rosefern, Windpaw and Dimitri.

Skypaw mewed after them, "I have to get my mouse."

Windpaw's tail twitched, but she kept walking. Skypaw sighed and went over to the small mound of dirt where she had buried her mouse earlier that day. Skypaw had carefully uncovered her mouse and had picked it up by its tail when she heard Brackenstar's summoning on the other side of the dense forest wall. Skypaw rushed through the tunnel and ran to the fresh-kill pile.

Dropping the mouse on the top she heard Scorchpaw sneer, "The kitty-pet caught a mouse. That will be the last mouse she catches."

Skypaw ignored the rude tom and padded over to where Lotuspaw and Windpaw were sitting before noticing that Lotuspaw was shivering.

"Lotuspaw, what's wrong?" Skypaw asked quietly after settling down between the medicine cat and her friend.

"D-d-darkness," she whispered, clearly thinking about something other than what was happening at the moment. Lotuspaw was staring straight ahead and curiously Skypaw followed her gaze.

"Dimitri," she gasped, turning towards Lotuspaw again she mewed, "You think Dimitri is darkness?" Skypaw almost shrieked.

Lotuspaw stared at Skypaw, willing her to be quiet, before answering, "I had a… I had a vision last night and all there was, was a darkness and a voice whispering of darkness with blood on its mind. I think it might be your friend, he doesn't _seem_ to be mad or anything that would make him want to draw blood, but… but I can't be sure…" Lotuspaw started mumbling about nothing in particular, so Skypaw turned her attention back to Brackenstar.

"…These cats will come with me to the gathering: Rosefern and her apprentice, Rapidfrost and Scorchpaw, Windpaw will go as well. Moonbrook, Echostep and Lotuspaw will also be joining us. Jayear will stay here with the rest of the Clan. I want all the cats coming with me to eat something and get some sleep." Brackenstar paused and looked down at his clan before looking directly at Rockstream and Dimitri and narrowed his eyes slightly. "I have a duty I must perform before you are dismissed. Rockstream found his _son_ in the forest this morning, and wished for him to join us and train to be a warrior. So he will be known as Darkpaw and…" the leader looked at his clan and continued, "Shadowclaw will be his mentor. This meeting is over."

Skypaw padded over to Darkpaw only to see that Scorchpaw and Gorsepaw were surrounding him.

"…strong fighter. Maybe _this_ kitty-pet will be worth something to the Clan. Gorsepaw, why don't you show the new guy around. I have to go get ready for the gathering… enjoy your night here boys." Scorchpaw growled before trotting over to the fresh-kill pile and deliberately throwing Skypaw's mouse on the ground. "Oops," he growled and looked directly at Skypaw before picking up a sparrow and walking into the apprentice's den.

Skypaw growled and turned around to see Darkpaw looking back at her as he unwillingly followed Gorsepaw. Skypaw sighed and looked around for Windpaw. Her friend was at the fresh-kill pile pawing through it and when Skypaw padded over Windpaw growled, "We have nothing good to eat. Scorchpaw took the only thing big enough to share and he's not sharing it with anyone. Huh, so… do you want a mouse or a vole?"

"I'll have a mouse," Skypaw mewed before picking up a mouse and padding over to the apprentice den. She padded through the entrance and lay down in her nest to eat. Windpaw settled down beside her and took small bites of her vole.

Skypaw ate her mouse fast so she could get more sleep before they left for the gathering. As she fell asleep she heard a voice whisper, "Sleep well Skypaw."

xXx-xXx-xXx

Skypaw could barely contain herself. She was finally here, at her very first  
gathering! Windpaw, even though she was not showing it, was thrilled to be  
here too. "Calm down for StarClan's sake!" Skypaw's mentor, Rosefern meowed at her.  
Her ears turned bright red and she darted away. "Hey, wait up!" Windpaw yowled after her.  
Skypaw paused and was surprised to scent so many cats. She padded through  
the brambles and gasped. Four giant pointed rocks extended like claws from the  
ground, pointing to the full moon. The clearing in the middle of it shone  
bright with moonlight. Carved into the rocks, four ledges jutted out of each  
of them. Jaystar was sitting upon one ledge with the deputy underneath. _So SunClan is already here,_ Skypaw thought.  
Skypaw looked around the clearing, realizing she recognized no one. She  
accidentally went ahead of the others! The first cat that padded up was no  
other than Scorchpaw.  
"Slow down kitty-pet, you don't know what you're doing, going ahead of  
SkullClan. If SunClan knew you were new, they'd squash you like a bug,  
fatty."  
She snarled. Just because she hasn't lost all her kitten fat yet doesn't mean  
she's soft! "You better watch yourself mouse-brain. Next time you say something  
like that, you'll have to worry about another scar on your ugly face."  
Of course she was referring to the burn scar he received when he fell  
headfirst into a two-leg fire when he was a kit. It made a white starish shape  
on the side of his black face. "Hey you two, break it up." Windpaw growled as  
she saw our quarrel. "SunClan and IceClan have been staring at you the whole time!" She muttered.  
Skypaw gasped in embarrassment as she and Windpaw padded away from a  
seething Scorchpaw. ForestClan arrived in the clearing, with Birchstar in the  
lead. He bounded up gracefully onto his step and winked to the crowd. Every she-cat blushed and sighed.  
Skypaw looked at each leader; Brackenstar, a white tabby with dark brown  
stripes and amber eyes, of Skullclan, Jaystar, a small but lithe black and white tom with sinister, calculative blue eyes, of SunClan, Flamestar, a pure black tom  
with a fiery red chest and deep blue eyes, of IceClan. And last but not least,  
Birchstar, a well muscled gray tom with the most adorable green eyes, of  
ForestClan. Skypaw felt Windpaw tremble when Birchstar rested his gaze on  
her.  
A yowl sounded from where the SkullClan leader was standing and the clearing fell silent under his command. Brackenstar cleared his throat. "Now then, I'll begin. SkullClan has been doing fine. Moonflower gave birth to a litter of kits and prey is plentiful." He signaled to Birchstar.  
Her heart sank. Why didn't he mention me? She thought worriedly. Is he  
embarrassed?  
Birchstar was about to start when Jaystar interrupted him.  
"I see a new face in SkullClan, and smell her too. Brackenstar, why must  
you ignore this? It seems very important." Jaystar leered at Skypaw, with  
those creepy, creepy eyes. They gleamed with interest.  
Brackenstar glared at him for a moment. "Right, I must apologize my  
forgetfulness. Nothing slips past you Jaystar." He answered him with a smirk.  
"We have a new apprentice with us, Skypaw. At camp we also have a new apprentice whose name is Darkpaw." He pointed his head towards her, and every cat followed his gaze. Skypaw's cheeks flushed and the tips of her ears burned. They looked at her for a moment longer. Birchstar broke the awkward silence with the clearing of his throat.  
"Well then, ForestClan is blossoming with good fortune. The birds are  
chirping, prey is plentiful, and we have two new apprentices; Moonpaw and  
Leafpaw." He turned his gorgeous head in the direction of two identical but  
very beautiful she-cats.  
Jaystar spoke next. "All SunClan has to say is that prey is plentiful, and  
kits were born."  
Flamestar followed after him, fuming and almost glowing. "Iceclan has something to say to Sunclan. Keep to your own territory! If prey is so plentiful, then why do we always find remains of prey along the border?" Brackenstar nodded in agreement before Flamestar calmed down, and continued. "Forgive me of that outburst; just make sure it doesn't happen again. IceClan is doing well, besides the prey stealing. The gathering is over."  
As the clans dispersed, Skypaw was confused. "Windpaw, why did Flamestar  
suddenly change the subject? Why didn't he press his case against Jaystar?"  
Windpaw sighed. "He was doing the smart thing. Jaystar is way more powerful than him." When she saw that she was still confused, she made this oh sound and started again.  
"The way we pick our leaders is a very…unusual method. A leader is only  
appointed if he or she is blessed. And when I mean blessed, I mean they are  
given a special power."  
Skypaw gasped. Special powers! "Like what?" She pressed eagerly.  
Windpaw smiled, looking almighty, knowing she'll do just about anything for  
to get this information. "Well, Brackenstar can talk to foxes and badgers and get them to fight with our Clan. Birchstar can, well, I guess hypnotize no, charm you into doing whatever he wants you to do. Flamestar can burst into flame, although it usually happens when he's angry. And Jaystar", she shuddered, "he  
can do things; mean, and terrible things. It's almost like he can open your mind and read everything inside. If he can, he could make you go insane." She paused  
for a moment. "That's all I know about Jaystar. The only one who knows what his power is- is his deputy."  
Suddenly, a voice mewed from behind, making them jump. "Hurry up now, you don't want to get left behind young beauties."  
Skypaw spun around to see Birchstar smiling at her with a dazzling smile. He  
turned and rested his gaze on Windpaw for a moment. "I hope to see you at the  
next gathering." He murmured softly. He gracefully turned around and raced to  
join his clan.  
Windpaw stood still for a moment, and then gushed. "He is so cute! What do  
you think he meant when he hoped to see me here again?"  
Skypaw looked worried. "Who knows?"  
"Skypaw! Windpaw! Hurry up!" Scorchpaw's impatient mew came from the edge of the clearing.  
I groaned. But Windpaw looked thoughtful. "Do you think that if I 'smooth  
his scorched edges', he'd finally be nice?"  
Skypaw sighed. _Of course... Windpaw and her little social projects_, I thought before muttering, "Not really."

Windpaw protested, "I think he'd make an awesome"  
"Don't even say it." Skypaw interrupted her. "Go have a crush on someone  
else."  
Without another word she sped away from Windpaw's stupid plans. She needed to find herself a good, not marred, mate. Speaking of toms, what does  
Birchstar want with Windpaw?

**A/N I can sense an evil plot…**


	6. Chap 4

A/N Hey people! Sorry it took so long for me to update. I've been sick and cramming for exams. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this exciting new chapter.

Chapter 4

Darkpaw shifted in his nest again. This was useless. He couldn't get use to the nests! They were way too uncomfortable. But there was something else that unsettled Darkpaw. Something bad in the air that made his whiskers quiver and his ears perk. He groaned, trying to nestle deeper into his prickly nest.

(On SkullClan border)

"Remember Bloodwish, before you kill anything, bring that medicine apprentice brat to me. Understood?" Jaystar's reminder sounded more like a threat.

Bloodwish looked at him. "Why is she a threat to us? She can't even fight!"

Jaystar had to suppress a snarl. He knew far too well to anger this unstable animal. "She has some knowledge I've yet to require, and some knowledge that she should've never learned." He meowed darkly.

He didn't like such a smart cat in a rival clan. But he will soon fix that.

Bloodwish looked at the border. "All right, when do we leave?"

Jaystar smiled. "Now." He summoned the army of warriors with his tail and they sped into the forest.

(Skypaw)

Skypaw was dreaming. Or at least she thought she was dreaming. The swirls of fur and screeches of pain unsettled her. What was even more unsettling was the weight on top of her, screaming. "Skypaw get your bloody rear up!" Windpaw screamed in her ear.

She woke with a start. "Wha…?"

"SunClan is attacking, and Lotuspaw's missing!"

Her friend's name made her spring up. "But I don't know how to fight!" She protested wildly.

Windpaw looked just as scared. "Neither do I, I just started the day before we found you." They were silent for a few terrified moments. "Let's be of some use. C'mon, let's find Lotuspaw."

Windpaw bravely meowed. They nodded and crept out of their den. Cats were on top of cats screaming and ripping each other's fur off. Screeches of fury came from both clans as they descended into an even more aggressive battle. "SoulClan help us," murmured Windpaw.

They sprinted toward the entrance, when a warrior blocked their path. "Come here little kitties." He sneered. Windpaw screeched with disgust and dove straight at him. She darted under his stomach and flipped over, flipping him to the side. She raked her claws along his pelt and underbelly. He yowled in pain and retreated.

"I thought you said you didn't know how to fight!" Skypaw yowled in disbelief.

Windpaw shrugged. "My mom taught me a few pointers. No one would talk to me, so she would always give me a lesson."

After another look she sighed impatiently. "Look, you're naturally good at hunting and I'm a natural fighter. Even?" Skypaw could only nod before a familiar black pelt barreled into her.

"Scorchpaw!" She gasped. He grunted.

Darkpaw rushed up to them, his ear torn. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for Lotuspaw, want to help?" Skypaw asked. He nodded. "Scorchpaw, c'mon."

They all sprinted toward the nearest opening in a crevice between two rocks. "Didn't your clan realize that once they were ambushed they would be trapped?" Skypaw heard Darkpaw mutter.

They ran until they saw the stream near the two-leg place, panting. "What now?" asked Scorchpaw.

Windpaw gasped as she saw his wound in the moonlight.

"We have to get him to a medicine cat!"

"Where?" Darkpaw asked dryly. Suddenly, all of them froze. A twig cracked from behind them. They spun around to see a bloody Lotuspaw collapse into the stream. Skypaw rushed to her and carried her by the scruff to the riverbank.

Windpaw rushed over too. "Lotuspaw?" She mewed.

Lotuspaw's eyes went wild, "Darkness-all clans covered-only refuge is the wind and sky!" She thrashed crazily. "They'll come. They'll come- with their death-death and misery. Hunters become hunted. Wind and Sky!" She screeched before she went limp.

Skypaw thought she was dead until she saw steady-but rapid-breaths from Lotuspaw's chest. The apprentice's were all too stunned to do anything. Even sense the patrol of SunClan cats surrounding them, led by a cat with a blood-red eye.

"What's this?" He asked, coming into the small clearing. All the apprentices' heads snapped up in horror.

(Bloodwish)

Bloodwish was slightly confused. "Where did you all come from?" He asked. The apprentices made a circle around Lotuspaw. "Don't touch her." A black tom growled.

Bloodwish frowned. "Oh dear, this is not good." It wasn't good at all. Jaystar told him to not hurt anyone until Lotuspaw was in possession. He knew better than to disobey orders. The penalty was banishment for a moon.

He turned to his patrol. "We can't harm them. Strict orders from Jaystar." He waited for it. Angry outbursts and snarls erupted from the cats, but none argued. Then silence came. He turned his eye to the confused apprentices. "I guess we have to take all of you and let Jaystar decide."

He smiled that was his motto. The gray and white she cat spoke up. "Why?"

Bloodwish's ears turned red and he quickly looked down. She-cats, one of his two weaknesses. They always made him nervous and unsure. He quickly looked back up. She didn't have the usual sneer of smugness on her face like on all the other she-cats he's known. It was puzzled and afraid.

He averted his gaze to another cat and gulped. Another one! Her gaze wasn't so friendly. It was murderously protective and wary, but also showed signs of concern. That puzzled him even more. "What shall we do?" He murmured to himself again.

(Windpaw)

She was terrified, but of all the wrong things. Windpaw was of course terrified for her friends, the outcome of this predicament, and of the safety of her battling mother. But she wasn't afraid of the cats in front of her.

These were trained cats. If they were told not to hurt them, they were stuck. It comforted her. She looked at the giant black heap of muscle in front of her. She felt sad. He was an outcast, she knew, like her. Only he knew why. Bloodwish, the terrible war mercenary, who could kill you with a look from his evil eye. He knew why. And she didn't know why everyone but her mom excludes her. Lotuspaw tries, but she always seems to keep her distance. She remembered the day when she realized it…

"_Windkit? Windkit, get back here this instance!" Her mother's stern voice carried in the wind. _

_But Windkit didn't want to! She wanted to climb the rest of highrock and feel the wind on her face! She wanted to fly, like a bird! She was about to happily jump to the next ledge before something grabbed her scruff and pulled her down._

"_Windkit!" Her mother barked through her fur. She set her down in the nursery. _

_Windkit shuffled her paws. "Sorry mama, but it was so boring here, and no one would play with me!" She whined._

_Soulwhisper sighed sadly. "I know, but you can't go off and run off any cliff you fancy! You'll get yourself killed. Now, stay here until I get back. Bramblestar wants me for a moment." She rushed out of the nursery._

_Windkit sighed and stared at Lotuskit and Gorsekit playing with a wad of moss. Scorchkit was in his nest with a poultice smothered on his face. Poor Scorchkit, all alone. Windkit suddenly had an idea._

_It took her a few moments to summon up her courage, and padded toward Scorchkit. He glared at her. "What?" He asked harshly. _

_Windkit flinched, and lost some of her courage. "Um…well…you see…" _

"_What?" Barked Scorchkit._

_Windkit shuffled her paws. "Um…since you were alone, and I was alone, I thought we could-"_

"_What? Play?" Scorchkit asked in disbelief. "Why would I want to play with you? You're a freak!"_

_A little part of Windkit died inside. Her courage was finished, torn to shreds by logic, and whisked away in the breeze. She didn't even say anything back. She just slumped back over to her nest and sat there, quietly staring._

_Her mother came back a short while later, troubled by her daughter's state. She curled around her. "What's wrong sweetie? Why aren't you playing with the other kits?"_

_After a while, Windpaw whispered so quietly that Soulwhisper could barely hear. "Because I'm a freak."_

_Her mother curled tighter around her._

Her only friend has been Skypaw so far. She shook her head, cursing her daydreaming. Her mother taught her to block out those feelings. She had to be strong. She turned to Skypaw, who clearly wasn't having a good time being the spokes-person of the group. She was trembling.

Well, um...we don't-well…" The cats intimidated her too much. After all, this only was her fifth night at the clan! Darkpaw seemed as frightened, but masked it with hostility. Scorchpaw had a look of rage on his face. She sighed and nudged Skypaw, and stepped forward.

"If we escape, will you kill us?"

"Yes," came the immediate answer. She sighed again. "All right, we'll come willingly."

"What?" Came Scorchpaw's furious outburst.

"Shh." She snapped. "I have a plan, just follow me."

He looked around for support, but Darkpaw and Skypaw were willing. They hadn't been here long enough to hate her. She nodded. "Right, Darkpaw, help me carry Lotuspaw."

Together they lifted her, and the SunClan patrol encircled them. Skypaw murmured a thank you to Windpaw, and she nodded grimly. She could just hear Scorchpaw's spews of insults. "Oh sure, let the freak decide. She knows EVERYTHING."

Windpaw swallowed her rage, and followed Bloodwish quietly. This was just not her day.

(Bloodwish)

He was pleased by them coming to a peaceful resolve, but the she-cat left him more confused than ever. He would have to have a talk with her, and the other one. He could tell the smart ones of the group, even if the nervous one was too scared to show it. He could even show them his tree!

Wait…no. He knew that could never happen. Friends. He's a lot younger than he looks; he just received his warrior name six moons before regular apprentices did. If he was normal, his ceremony would've been a moon ago.

But he wasn't normal, and nobody wanted to look at him let alone be his friend. Besides, Jaystar will probably do with them what he always does with prisoners. He puts them in the pit.

A/N Dun dun! Cliffie! Sorry that I went a bit eccentric with Windpaw, but she's important to the story! All the captives are. They'll have their own past, and RiverLee might help too! I'll update soon. Twistey out.


	7. Chap 5

A/N Hey, sorry I haven't updated lately. I've had to patch some final things up with Riverlee. I had fun making the pit, and I hope you find it…I don't know, something good.

Chapter 5

(Windpaw)

She didn't have a plan. At least, not yet. Her pride wouldn't allow failure. She would talk it over with Skypaw, she conceded. Or not. It was hopeless, escaping from Sunclan. No cat _ever _has come back alive after being imprisoned by them. But it kept them alive. For now.

She craned her stiff neck to look at the warriors and flinched. They all had scars and ripped muscles. Jaystar trained his army well. Windpaw suddenly had a thought. She had to act dumb if it would work though. Of course, that wasn't hard. She's had to in the clan to keep her secret. Too much knowledge for a kit was never a good sign. She had to act like all the other normal kits. Windpaw took a breath and worked her magic.

"So, where exactly are you taking us?" She asked as innocently as she could to the leader.

He suddenly became flustered. "Oh, um, well, we were only supposed to take your friend you see. So…you'll probably be taken to the pit. Sorry."

Skypaw gasped behind her. "The what?"

A warrior batted her. "That's confidential."

We were silent as they crossed the border. It was finally dawn when they approached the camp. Windpaw tried to make her eyes as wide as possible. Sunclan camp was at the top of the tallest hill in their territory. Old badger sets surrounded the area, and hostile cats' faces peered from them. Jaystar raced up to meet us. For a cat so small he was intensely intimidating.

"Bloodwish! What were my orders? Bring back the medicine cat apprentice! Not all of them!" He snarled and he slashed Bloodwish, scoring his muzzle. He barely flinched.

"I followed your orders. Do not harm any cat until the target was obtained. They won't leave her sight. Besides, once they die, SkullClan will be even weaker."

Windpaw had that sinking feeling when Jaystar's bright eyes scanned them. "All right, I can't punish you. But I don't think they have to die."

A small flicker of hop sprang in Windpaw. Scorchpaw stepped forward. "So you'll let us go?"

Jaystar striked so fast Windpaw barely had time to blink. Scorchpaw was sent flying to the ground, knocked unconscious. Skypaw screamed.

Jaystar flipped his head to her, and Windpaw leaped between them to block his claws. She was prepared, unlike Scorchpaw, so the blow only sent her to her knees. But great Soulclan it hurt. "Foolish apprentices, but they have courage. Very useful." Jaystar meowed. "Quick, tell me your names."

Darkpaw spoke first. "I'm Darkpaw, she's Skypaw."

I stepped forward. "I'm Windpaw and he's Scorchpaw." A silence met her feeble words. Jaystar was thinking hard. "The pit it is. Keep the medicine cat, she is of use."

"Lotuspaw."

Jaystar whipped his head around. "What?'

"Her name is Lotuspaw." Windpaw's fear was smashed by loyalty. "And if you touch her, I swear by all the powers of Soulclan I'll hunt you down, spirit or not, and kill you with pleasure." She flinched at her own words.

Jaystar looked for a moment as if he took the threat seriously. Then he smiled a cold smile. " Since you'll be dead soon, I'll let that slide. Good luck Wind, Sky, Darkness, and Fire. You'll need it."

"What?" Darkpaw asked, but they were already being led away from the camp, Scorchpaw being dragged.

(Bloodwish)

He didn't like the pretty she-cats going away. He stayed behind, following Jaystar, who was taking a different route. "Why do they have to die?"

Jaystar shook his head. "You don't need to know. All I will say is that they possess something that I can't afford them to discover, let alone evolve."

Bloodwish shook his head. Jaystar was so confusing. He could smell the pit before he saw it. The stench of crow-food would've been almost unbearable to normal forest cats. But these two cats have been here long enough to be used to them. Jaystar sat at his usual spot, overlooking the pit. Bloodwish took position beside him. "Jaystar?" He asked.

"What?"

"Why don't I remember watching anything in the pit?"

"It's very unusual, you fall asleep."

"Everytime?"

"Everytime."

Bloodwish nodded his head. "I guess that makes sense. Hey, I can see them now!" He meowed as the apprentices came dragged in by the Sunclan patrol.

Jaystar sat in a relaxed position. "Just sit back and enjoy it. Oh, and Bloodwish?" He asked.

"What?" Asked Blooodwish, standing up.

"Those cats work for your father."

Bloodwish saw red. His body convulsed, and he sprinted towards the poor apprentices. They had to pay. They had to die. His senses were on high, and his bloodthirst began. He lost consciousness to everything but his target. The small- now red- she-cat. The weakest were the easiest to kill.

(Skypaw)

The pit was a disused carrion place. Rotting monsters, crow-food, and other twoleg trash littered the place. Skypaw nearly retched. Luckily the smell aroused Scorchpaw. "What in Soulclan's dirtplace is that?"

Darkpaw helped him stand. "Bad news, we're all gonna die."

Skypaw turned to Windpaw, who looked unusually out of character. Her face was serious and calculative, like her mothers. _I guess bad situations change us, _she thought. Windpaw looked at her. "The walls are very steep, but if we made some effort, I think we can-"

She stopped. We all did. "Do you hear that?" Scorchpaw whispered.

Darkpaw had padded ahead of us. He came rushing back. "We need to move. NOW."

He butted Scorchpaw's rear and we sprinted for our lives. "What's-wrong?" Skypaw asked between breaths.

Darkpaw had fear in his eyes. "Bloodwish-at least I think. Something's happened to him. It's like a monster took over…" He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. If he catches us, we're dead."

That sped up their fleeing. Soon, they were lost in the mounds of rubbish. Skypaw and Windpaw were cut off from the others when an avalanche of crow-food came tumbling down on them. "I want to throw up." She wailed, gagging on the smell. Windpaw shuddered. "C'mon, we have to find the others." They trudged on.

It was getting dark. Skypaw and Windpaw started panicking. "We'll never get out of here!" Skypaw wailed.

Windpaw covered her mouth with her tail. "Quiet, do you want to lead Bloodwish to us? Now follow me, I think I hear Scorchpaw's whining in the distance."

They followed the sound to its source. To their horror, Scorchpaw wasn't whining. He was _moaning_. Bloodwish was biting down hard on his throat. "Stop it!" Skypaw screeched, but Scorchpaw was already limp. Bloodwish tossed him aside and advanced towards her and…Windpaw? Skypaw looked around, but her friend was nowhere to be seen. She started crying.

"I want to go home!" She wailed, collapsing on the ruddy earth. Bloodwish hesitated. There was a look of intense pain in his eyes, as if he were trying to fight a battle.

(Bloodwish)

A voice was telling him to kill the she-cat, and he nearly did. But her wailing snapped back the unstable side of him, just for a moment. A moment long enough to think clearly. But it was best for her to die. Or was it? He shook his head and resolved to the massacre.

(Windpaw)

She was perched on a monster lying on a trash mound above Bloodwish. It was a dangerous plan, and she probably wouldn't make it out alive, but she knew and accepted that. She would keep her friends alive.

She peered down at Bloodwish and widened her eyes. He looked indecisive. Maybe she didn't have to kill him! Blind Faith won over her suicide plan and she stumbled down. He turned to her. "Bloodwish, what are you doing?" She asked cautiously.

He spun around and gaped at her. "Mama?"

Windpaw was stunned, but decided to work with this. "Yes Bloodwish, I am your mother."

Tears welled up in his eyes. The ones in his red eye looked like blood. She suppressed a shudder. He started sobbing. "Oh, Mama! I thought I killed you! Where've you been?"

Windpaw tried to give him a reassuring purr, but it came out too shaky. "I've been traveling, and can only stay for a short time. Why are you terrorizing that poor she-cat?"

He blinked in embarrassment. "I don't remember. All I remember is being mad about dad and targeting her."

Windpaw leaned in. "Why?"

"Because Jaystar told me they work for dad. I think that set off my tantrum." His eyes narrowed. "But that means they should die."

"No!" Windpaw screeched, then composed herself quickly. "No, they don't work for your father. You should leave them alone."

He nodded, confused. "All right, but I need to talk to you."

Windpaw could only nod. "All right. So be it."

(Darkpaw)

He curled his lip in disgust at their conversation. Darkpaw was hiding behind a mound, overlooking the small area. Brave Windpaw, it was only a matter of time before Bloodwish got worked up again. She knew that. And he was sure Jaystar knew it too.

Darkpaw saw him spectating from the top of a hill bordering the pit. It disgusted him that he used Bloodwish as a weapon. He shook his head. He somehow needed to get to Bloodwish undetected. Skypaw was a couple fox lengths in front of him. He started to creep.

His tail lightly brushed Skypaw before she recognized him. She looked at him nervously. "Don't kill him." She whispered. That pulled him up short.

"I don't know how." He mewed, and skirted away. He never thought himself as a killer, so why start now?

He was almost a tail length away when Windpaw spotted him. She gave him a 'get on with it' glance and launched herself back into her conversation with Bloodwish. It was a quick swipe. He knocked Bloodwish so hard Bloodwish went sprawling to the ground. "That was slow." Windpaw commented.

He was about to argue when he saw a smile on her face. He merely grunted. "Let's go."

(Jaystar)

He looked at the scene before him. "This is very interesting", he murmured before he started to worry.

(Windpaw)

As the apprentices started to run from Bloodwish, Windpaw heard him whimper. "Mama." He sniffled.

Windpaw padded back to him, and murmured in his ear, "I'm always with you." And joined the others.

A/N How was it? Sorry for not updating so quickly, I'm a born procrastinator. Review what you like, dislike, or suggestions. Next chapter up soon. Twistey out.


	8. Chap 6

**A/N Thank you Twistey for writing chapter four and five. Anyone who submits a cat now… it will probably be a kit if you want it to be in SkullClan, but if it's not in SkullClan there is the chance that it will still be a warrior or apprentice. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, and enjoys this fan-fic. Your support is much appreciated.**

Chapter 6

(Skypaw)

The three apprentices trotted away from the shocked black tom and the lump of fur lying at his feet. They had rounded piles of Two-leg rubbish, and were crouched under something that kept the light drizzle off their pelts, panting. There was a low growl of thunder in the distance and the sky lit up for an instant.

In that moment it hit me, "Scorchpaw," I gasped, "We left him with Bloodwish… half dead." I got quieter with each word.

Looking at Darkpaw and Windpaw she saw that there was no way that they could help their fallen comrade now.

"There must be _something_ we can do to save him," Windpaw whispered.

"I don't think that there is anything we can do, unless one of us can bring him back to life," Darkpaw mewed almost sarcastically, but more somber than usual.

"Maybe we should just…" I gasped as my body spazed and contorted. I opened my mouth and let out a soundless screech.

Darkness unfolded around me and engulfed me entirely. I thought I was dead when I saw my twisted body on the ground with Windpaw and Darkpaw crowding around me, but I saw the rise and fall of my flank as I watched. _SoulClan must have wanted me to do _something_ if this happened for no reason that I know of._

I looked around and saw a smallish black tom wandering up a path of stars.

"Scorchpaw!" I yowled towards him.

His ears flicked and he turned his head toward me. I ran toward him and he paused, waiting for me to catch up to me.

"Skypaw?! What are you doing here? Where are the others?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly when he added, "Are we dead?"

"No… at least I'm not, Scorchpaw we have to go now," I growled, something about this place wasn't right and we really _did _have to leave, we were part of a prophecy.

"I don't know if I can. It feels like something's calling me." He looked back up the starry path and I followed his gaze.

An orange tom was padding toward us, his head held high and his pelt covered in small stars. He stopped in front of us and looked back and forth between us.

When he spoke his voice was loud and clear, and echoed throughout the empty space, "Which of you is Scorchpaw?"

Scorchpaw's ear flicked forward and he meowed respectfully, "I am and this is Skypaw."

The tom looked at me quickly before growling, "You are both so young and it's not time for either of you to join me in SoulClan. Fire and Spirit, you must return to Earth and Sky to save Water. But be watchful for a Light in the Darkness that follows you and know that no one is what they seem."

With that the tom touched his muzzle to Scorchpaw's head and then turned around and raced up the starry path that crumbled to nothing behind him.

Scorchpaw was fading from my view when he yowled, "Skypaw, you have to help me!"

"Just stay where you are, we'll come get you." It was then that I noticed that I was leaving him in the strange place between us and SoulClan. _I hope I'm right about this._

(Windpaw)

"Oh, Skypaw, wake up. Bloodwish will find us if you don't get up. Come on," Darkpaw looked up at me, his amber eyes worried.

I looked away from them; there was a depth to them that would let me fall into his soul if I looked long enough. I heard a sudden noise and felt rapid breath on my whiskers, Skypaw was okay; _But what about Scorchpaw_, I thought grimly, _I may never see him again_.

"We have to go save him! Windpaw, are you listening to me? Scorchpaw is waiting for us to help him!" Skypaw was growling rapidly.

"Skypaw," Darkpaw meowed slowly, "we all saw Bloodwish rip the life out of Scorchpaw… we all saw him dead. There is _nothing_ we can do for him… I'm sorry."

"You don't understand; I was out cold and I went to a place that let you see up to SoulClan and down to the earth. Scorchpaw was there and I talked to him. Then an orange tom padded down a path of stars, said it wasn't our time to join SoulClan yet, and then he ran up the path and I told Scorchpaw we'd help him."

"Skypaw, you can't…" Darkpaw started, but I interrupted him.

"Are you saying that there is the smallest chance that Scorchpaw is alive?" I asked and Skypaw nodded, "Then we have to try. Let's go." Skypaw and I turned around and ran towards where we left Scorchpaw.

"But what about Bloodwish, he might still be there?" Darkpaw yowled after the two she-cats before pounding after them.

"Then we'll have to make a deal with him," I panted.

We slowed down and padded slowly around a pile of rubbish. In the moonlight lay the broken, bloody body of Scorchpaw, and when I opened my mouth to smell the air, there was only the slightest trace of Bloodwish's scent. "Let's go," I murmured.

We padded forward slowly and I watched as Skypaw looked at Scorchpaw before glancing up at me.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," she whispered softly.

"Was there anything the tom did that might help?" I asked the white and silver she-cat.

"Well… he rested his muzzle on Scorchpaw's head for an instant," Skypaw meowed rapidly, placing her muzzle on the side of Scorchpaw's head. _I wish I had the chance to do that_, I thought jealously. The breeze picked up and stirred the dead tom's fur slightly; _Only his fur though, strange_, but other than that there was no movement. Skypaw lifted her head and then touched her muzzle to Scorchpaw's wound.

As I watched, to my amazement, the wound slowly started to heal itself and a light seemed to gather around him and Skypaw. Then, with a flash of lightning, there was a cough from inside the cloud of light and the rough voice of Scorchpaw.

"What are you doing to me? Get away!"

"I'm saving your life, you piece of helpless fur. Now hold still." Skypaw's voice was stern, but there was a tiredness to it that wasn't there previously.

I coughed quietly to hide a laugh, and saw that Darkpaw was smirking slightly, _I guess he's happy that Scorchpaw's back_.

Then as soon as quickly as it had appeared, the cloud disappeared to reveal a healthy, but angry looking tom, and a she-cat that looked ready to collapse.

"Scorchpaw… you're alive," Darkpaw said in wonder.

"Told you so," was all Skypaw could mutter before falling to the ground.

(Bloodwish)

_Where did that lightning come from? There's not a cloud in the sky,_ I thought to myself. Those apprentices are lucky I only killed the annoying one. Maybe Jaystar won't punish me if I bring back his pelt and the other toms pelt as well. Maybe I can save the pretty she-cats' lives.

_What am I thinking? I can't betray my leader and therefore my Clan. Oh, but I don't want to kill the she-cats. SoulClan help me decide what to do!_ I paused where I was, almost out of the pit. _ I know what I have to do._ I thought strongly before turning around and running towards where I left the dead tom.

(Lotuspaw)

"Where am I?" I asked carefully, blinking to get used to the light.

"You, my dear SkullClan cat, are in the medicine den of SunClan," a steely voice growled from across the den.

"Why am I…?" I gasped and was sucked into one of my visions.

_There were piles of two-leg rubbish surrounding me, and I saw my friends huddled under an overhang that would not stop the wind from ruffling their fur. _They'll freeze to death,_ I thought. Out of the shadows of a towering pile, appeared a large black tom with one red eye. A growl emanated from Scorchpaw and Darkpaw as they stood up and blocked the other tom's view of the she-cats._

"_I've come to help you," he said, dipping his head to show that he meant no harm. "Hear me out before you attack me."_

I was brought back to the present as a paw shook me.

"Don't do that young 'un. If Jaystar sees that, he'll come in here and force you to tell him the future, and that would not be good for your health, or for my herb store. Tell me your name and sit up so we can speak properly. I'm Goldentooth, medicine cat of this fine Clan," the gold tom meowed proudly.

"I'm Lotuspaw, medicine cat apprentice of SkullClan. My mentor's name is Echostep," I meowed carefully while I sat up.

"I've heard her talk fondly about you. Of how you always know what to do with a paitent and how you're always prepared for injured cats after a border skirmish with ForestClan. I hope that I'll have an apprentice like you. Smart and kind, the best traits for a medicine cat to have."

Goldentooth rambled on about how Hopepaw, a white she-cat with blue eyes, should've become his apprentice, and I listened halfheartedly.

_How am I going to get out of here?_

**A/N Sorry it took so long to post this but, hey, now it's out there to read, eh. Anyway I will hopefully post the next chapter before next weekend… maybe… depending on what I have going on. Oh well, better late then never right? Besides, my weeks are kind of boring now. Sorry for the rambling… um… I'll start working on the next chapie. Bye.**


	9. Chap 7

**A/N Sorry that it's taken soooooo long to update but I was grounded from the computer so I couldn't get on. But here is chapter seven. Enjoy.**

Chapter 7

(Bloodwish)

I trotted around a mound of two-leg rubbish and saw the small cats huddled together under a small outcrop, trying to stay warm. The moment the toms saw me they stood up, moving to protect the two she-cats. I noticed the one that I had killed was alive with not a drop of blood on his pelt. _Don't think about it,_ I thought to myself; _think about getting these cats home. Nothing else._

The toms growled at me and I lowered my head. "I've come to help you. Please hear me out before you attack me." _Please, I want to help you. I don't like what Jaystar has been doing, _I thought.

One of the she-cats stepped forward, the little white and silver one with blue eyes. She looked at me and mewed, "I think we should let him explain. Maybe he can help us get out of here." She looked back at the other she-cat who nodded in agreement.

"Start talkin', crow-food," hissed the black tom that I had killed.

I sat down, the apprentices' eyes following my every movement. "I know how to get out, but Jaystar will be watching. There is another way out but it is too far away, you wouldn't be able to make it without food, and there is none in here."

"How can you help us if Jaystar won't leave?" the other tom asked.

"We have to make it look like I killed you," I growled.

"How?"

I turned my head towards the voice and noticed that the other she-cat was the one who spoke.

"I- I would have to- um- have to make something fall on you. Jaystar saw me kill him," I nodded at the first tom, "so he can help knock the pile over. That is," I looked down at my paws, "if you want my help."

I saw the cats look at each other before the first she-cat spoke up. "How can we trust you? You're from an enemy Clan."

"Do you want to get out or not?" I growled, aggravated but looking at the stubborn she-cat proudly, _she's asking all the right questions._

"Of course we do! But there must be something that you want in return."

My nosed twitched, _they are definitely asking the right questions,_ I thought to myself. "There is one thing…" I looked at the small group before continuing, "I want to come with you to SkullClan."

(Skypaw)

Everyone was yowling at the same time and I couldn't hear myself think.

"Be quiet!" I growled softly, but they easily heard me. I looked at Bloodwish, "We need to talk about this first." He nodded and I walked away a bit, my Clanmates following.

"What are we going to do?" Windpaw asked, speaking up first.

"We can't just say 'Sure. If you help us get out and get our friend we'll gladly welcome you to our Clan.' Brackenstar would have our pelts!" Scorchpaw meowed indignantly.

"Do you have an idea Darkpaw?" I looked over at Darkpaw, who had been quietly musing at the edge of the group.

He looked up at me and answered, "I think we should let him help, we can't promise that he'll be able to join our Clan but maybe if he brought us back and helped get Lotuspaw back, he might have a chance."

I looked at him and nodded. Turning back to Bloodwish, I noticed that he was watching us, head tilted and ears perked. "Ok, we'll let you help us, but we can't promise you a place in SkullClan and you have to help us get Lotuspaw back."

The muscular tom looked at me and nodded, "I will do what I can."

"Then it's settled, we are leaving now."

Bloodwish looked at me and nodded, meowing, "Here's the plan." We all huddled close and listened to the tom.

**A/N I know this was short and that I haven't updated in a while but it's up to read now and chapter eight will be posted when I figure out how they are going to escape… So enjoy this chapter now and hopefully chapter eight will be up soon.**


	10. Chap 8

**A/N OMG! I'm sorry I haven't updated any of my stories in like a year, but guess what. I'm back, writing for you all from college. Yup that's right I'm in college to become a vet so things are even more hectic, it takes a lot of work… but since I stay up real late every night, hyped up on Monster and Mountain Dew, I figured I'd take up writing again… so here is chapter 8 of Help Me, I'm Lost. Enjoy.**

Chapter 8

(Skypaw)

_This is it, our one chance; if it doesn't work we will be stuck here forever, our flesh rotting and our bones pearly white from the sun. What if it doesn't work? How will the Clan cope with the loss of five apprentices if this is a trap? I hope Bloodwish is right, I hope we can get out and rescue Lotuspaw. We _will not_ leave her in that camp alone. And what are we going to tell Brackenstar when we show up with Jaystar's best warrior and secret weapon. We can't just ask him to let Bloodwish stay, can we? _I let out a soft sigh, "What are we going to do?"

"Did you say something, Skypaw?" Windpaw asked as she trotted up next to me.

"Huh- oh no, nothing," I replied, following the scent trail Bloodwish had left.

"So what do you think about Bloodwish? He seems pretty cute right? In that I have a messed up past, stay away from me, kind of way, you know."

I chuckled and meowed, "Sure Windpaw, whatever you think."

Windpaw and I kept walking through what Bloodwish had called the pit, weaving between piles of two-leg rubbish, trying to follow the tom's scent as the cloudy sky threatened to open up above them. The plan was simple; after he and Scorchpaw had knocked a large pile of rubbish over, making it look like it had fallen on Darkpaw, Windpaw and I, Bloodwish was to walk to where he usually left the pit, while the apprentices followed in two separate groups. If no one was guarding the exit, it would be an easy escape, but if it was guarded, we would be in trouble. As we rounded the corner of a rather large pile of rubbish, Bloodwish came running from the other direction, barreling into Windpaw and I, knocking us to the ground.

I yowled in surprise but a tail was pressed firmly against my muzzle.

"Skypaw, Windpaw, the exit is just around the corner but Jaystar has set a special guard there. Five warriors, the oldest, strongest and most battle ready cats in SunClan. This is going to be difficult. Where are the toms?" Bloodwish explained in a hushed tone.

A skittering noise came from behind us and the three of us looked back. Darkpaw and Scorchpaw came walking around the corner, Scorchpaw leaning heavily on Darkpaw's shoulder.

"You still reek of kitty-pet," Scorchpaw mewed through gritted teeth.

"You still have the stench of death on your pelt. Who drew the shorter straw here?" Darkpaw snapped back. When he saw us staring at him he pulled away from Scorchpaw and trotted up to me, sniffing my flank. "You're ok," he murmured to himself.

"I'm fine. What's wrong with Scorchpaw?" I asked as he flopped down onto the already muddy ground. Windpaw had gone over to him and tried to talk to him but he merely growled and snapped at her paws.

"He almost passed out again, fell to the ground a few times and stepped on some sharp two-leg thing so his paw is bothering him. We need to get food and fresh water and he needs to see a medicine cat soon, Skypaw, or else we won't make it. What's going on?" Darkpaw nodded at Bloodwish who had sat down a few tail lengths away.

"He says there are five of his Clan's best warriors blocking our escape path."

"Do you think we can beat them?"

"There is no need to fight, apprentices," a cold voice said from behind them.

There was a whirl of movement, and the three of us had created a half-circle around Scorchpaw. Bloodwish was lying on the ground, knocked out, while Flamestar and his deputy, a black she-cat named Skullspot stood in the path. Darkpaw and I exchanged a glance with Windpaw.

"You are an awful long way from home. What are you doing in Jaystar's clutches with this mongrel?" Flamestar questioned, nodding at Bloodwish.

"That mongrel was helping us escape, he was going to help us rescue our friend and-"

"Not anymore, he's not," Skullspot interrupted, "we are taking you home. There is a patrol right out there to escort you back to our camp. In the morning you will go home."

My mouth dropped open as Windpaw asked, "What are you going to do with him? We promi-"

"It is none of your concern what happens to him. All you need to know is that you are safe. Come now," Flamestar growled as he whisked around and walked away.

Scorchpaw heaved himself to his paws and leaned on Darkpaw again as we were herded away. Skullspot followed us and we left Bloodwish behind in the mud. We continued after Flamestar as we past four IceClan warriors and five SunClan warriors that were bleeding heavily. Flamestar nodded to them and they took up positions around our group, dragging along two unconscious warriors.

"What do we do now?" Windpaw whispered to me.

"There's nothing we can do other than follow them. They will give us shelter I suppose, and then take us home in the morning."

Windpaw nodded and dropped back to help Scorchpaw, who was too tired to argue.

_This isn't the worst thing that could've happened; I just hope we can rescue Lotuspaw soon._

(Bloodwish)

"_Bloodkit, come play with us! You can be the Clan leader this time!" A little gray and white female yowled to me from outside the nursery._

_I looked up at my mother, a black she-cat with blue eyes and asked "Mother may I go play?"_

"_Yes Bloodkit, go have fun with your friends," she purred, licking my forehead._

_I turned around and scampered out into the clearing. I bounded up to Sagekit and her littermates and looked at them. They all had different shades of green eyes, and gray pelts, although Tornkit's pelt was darker than his sisters. The she-kit whose pelt was a light gray walked up to me and pushed her muzzle right up to mine. I backed away and wiped my nose with a front paw._

"_Do I smell bad or something, Bloodkit?" she questioned, looking slightly offended._

"_No, of course not, Larchkit," I mewed shyly. "What game are we playing, Tornkit?"_

_Tornkit looked at me and growled softly, "_You're_ the leader, _you_ choose."_

_I was taken aback by his gruffness, _he must be mad because I'm the leader this time_, I thought. "Um, how about Sagekit is a fox and she is attacking our camp?"_

"_Sounds fun," Sagekit chirped before settling into a crouch and growling. _

_Sagekit lashed her tail and pounced at me, but I crouched down to avoid her. She soared over my head and landed hard on the ground. When she didn't move, Larchkit ran over to her and prodded her in the side. Sagekit still hadn't moved and I started to walk over to her but was knocked to the ground. I looked up and saw Tornkit standing over me, a scowl plastered to his face. _

"_Don't ever talk to me or my sisters again, crow-food."_

_I looked over at Sagekit again and she was sitting in the shade next to Larchkit laughing. I stared at them before running back into the nursery, fighting back the urge to cry._

"_You have to be stronger Bloodpaw. No one will protect you, no one except you claws and fangs. Now, attack again!" my mentor, Buzzardfoot, a brown tom with dark stripes and gray eyes, yowled at me, crouching down._

_I nodded and lunged at my opponent, Tornpaw. I slid under his belly and batted at it with sheathed claws and was out from under him a moment before he fell to the ground trying to trap me. I quickly flipped to my paws and jumped on his back, biting at his neck. He flipped over onto his back and trapped me under him. His fur was pressed against my muzzle and I gasped for breath as I feebly pawed at him._

"_That's enough Tornpaw," another tom mewed in a low growl. "Let Bloodpaw breath."_

_Tornpaw slowly rolled off of me and I sucked in large breaths of air. A shadow fell across me and I cautiously looked up. A brown tabby tom stood looking down on me, the sun was behind his shoulder so I could not easily see his face. I cowered under him as he continued to look at me._

"_Buzzardfoot, may I take my son out for a quick hunting lesson?"_

_Buzzardfoot looked startled but meowed, "Of course, he'd probably do better hunting."_

_My father turned away and padded into the woods. I slowly stood up and followed him as Buzzardfoot continued the lesson with Tornpaw and Larchpaw. I walked with my head down and my tail dragging in the dirt as I followed my father further from the training pit. At last he stopped and turned around, the sun still behind him so I could not see his face again._

"_I'm sorry father; I tried to do what you told me bu-"_

_A brown paw with unsheathed claws hit me on the right side of my face, right above my eye. I felt a warm sticky liquid trickling down my face and into my eye. I blinked quickly, trying to keep the blood out of my eye but it was no use. The last thing I saw before passing out was my father walking away from me._

_I woke up in a nest of moss and ferns with something covering my right eye. I tried to sit upright but a paw pushed me back down. I turned to my left and saw Goldentooth standing above me. _

"_Lie down and let me look at your wound," he meowed gruffly._

_I listened to him and let him check the cut above my eye. My right eye was crusted but I managed to open it a slit. I closed my left I and gasped. Everything was red hued. Goldentooth's smile was blood red; his gold pelt was a muddy brown-red color. I let my right eye close and opened my left one. I shuddered and started sobbing._

"_Goldentooth, what's wrong with my eye? Why can I see only red from it?"_

"_The blood from your cut dripped into your eye and damaged it. I can't fix it Bloodpaw, I'm sorry," he replied sadly._

_I closed my eye and held back sobs as Goldentooth cleansed the wound and put fresh herbs and cobwebs on it. I drifted into an uneasy sleep after that, seeing my father's paw come towards me but being too slow to get away from it. I saw his silhouette as he walked away from me, leaving me for the next patrol to find._

I woke up in the medicine cat's den, which was unusual since I was very rarely hurt. Goldentooth was just leaving the den; I saw the tip of his tail pass through the screen of ferns and bracken. There were three of SunClan's warriors lying in nests at the edge of the clearing. I sat up and immediately regretted it because my head started spinning and my vision blurred. I closed my eyes and counted to ten before slowly opening them again.

"Goldentooth told me you were waking up," a cool and calculative voice said from my left.

I looked over and saw Jaystar entering the small clearing. I dipped my head to my leader wondering what he was going to do.

"What happened to the apprentices Bloodwish? Don't say they are in the pit, because there were no bodies," Jaystar growled.

"I don't know what happened to them, sir. I was knocked out by something," I replied.

"Maybe," his blue eyes moved over my body, studying me, "but what about my missing warriors?"

"I don't know, sir; I was unconscious."

"So you've said," Jaystar muttered, "very well, your punishment is to guard our prisoner and to help with apprentice duties. That's a fair punishment for disobeying me, better than banishment for a moon."

With that Jaystar left and Goldentooth returned with a small golden she-cat following him. She turned a black-eyed gaze on me and I looked away. _Could that be Lotuspaw?_ I thought to myself, before lying back down and going back to sleep.

**A/N Well there is chapter 8 for you, sorry it took so long. But anyway R&R. See ya later :)**


End file.
